Martin who's been doing this forever and is considered the top authority on Lupe's GWS writes,

We just came back from an awesome trip to Guadalupe Island, where we encountered 33 different great white sharks in 3 days. Among them was Tzitzimitl, the biggest shark we have ever seen. She has been first seen at Guadalupe Island in 2002 and is #54 in our database. She is a very regular visitor to the island, doing the 2 year cycle that the big mature females there are known for. She has been sighted in 2002, 03, 05, 07, 12, 14 and now 2016.

Is she bigger than Deep Blue, the one some people claim is the biggest white shark ever filmed? Click on the link below for the video and judge for yourself.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Yes I'm clearly speculating because it could also have been agonistic - but going for the propulsion is a typical hunting technique, and I'm sticking with my opinion.
This is a rather small animal, possibly a subadult transitioning from a piscivorous diet to also feeding on pinnipeds; and with no parents to teach it, this is likely a period of trial-and-error before, maybe, becoming more discerning - or not!

Friday, September 09, 2016

Because a) Charlie is one of the good guys, because b) it involves GSD member Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions and especially, because c) this is important research for the Shark diving industry.
If you remember those papers by Barry Bruce, there were small localized effects with possible ramifications for the fitness of the animals and the ecosystem, and Charlie is now embarking on a quest to come up with some solid evidence.

After Richard and Adam's lastest Whitetip Reefie paper, I very much suspect that those GWS may be expending a tad too much energy on those fruitless hunts (see here = 2008!) - and if so, is anybody taking bets on whether the authorities will then allow for a modicum of, gasp, proper feeding as they should? :)

And since everybody tells me that the behavior of those GWS is miles removed from that of their placid cousins in Lupe - why isn't anybody seeing them hunt those Sea Lions?

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Personally I'm torn between finding it endearing or just plain crazy stupid as the baby Orca appears to be just a tad too interested in nibbling at those feet, and a big bull is obviously hanging nearby?

Friday, September 02, 2016

She's been a regular visitor ever since that first sighting in 2007, is as feisty as ever and has developed into one of our most eager hand feeders. With so many Shark competing for those Tuna heads, success depends on a combination of rank which in our Bull Sharks appears to be determined by size, thus favoring the older females; boldness which generally favors the males and selected particularly feisty small females; and finally, timing and skill which favors the best learners.

Being still quite small, Topsail excels in the latter categories and usually manages to bag a few heads - but beware of her temper when she does not!

And now she's got a little sister, see at top.

We always try to choose names that help us with the ID, and have thus decided to call her Sail, the more as she already appears to be as feisty as Topsail was back then.